So let's see… we already have our own town symbol, we've had a yearlong party to celebrate our tercentennial, we have a landmark flagpole, we have just about the only Labor Day Parade in the state, the biggest unofficial Halloween party in the

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Apr 20, 2007 12:00 am

So letâs seeâ¦ we already have our own town symbol, weâve had a yearlong party to celebrate our tercentennial, we have a landmark flagpole, we have just about the only Labor Day Parade in the state, the biggest unofficial Halloween party in the area, and weâve even been a bivouac for some soldiers of the Revolutionary War (who may or may not have taken their own pot shots at our town symbol from the top of Castle Hill). What more does a proud resident of Newtown need? How about some of Joe Ruggieroâs new fabric?

The home furnishings designer and HGTV host unveiled his latest fabrics collection during the 2007 High Point Market earlier this month. Held in High Point, N.C., the market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world and this year there was Mr Ruggiero with five new designs in his Sunbrella Fabrics collectionâ¦ including âNewtown,â which was indeed named after our town and reflects âa New England inspiration.â The fabric, according to a press release we received this week, features the look of a handwoven plaid in shades of beige and taupe with highlights of mineral blue.

Newtown resident Brett Galotta is hollering out to everyone who is already looking forward to the opening of fishing season this weekend. Brett, who now owns The Litchfield Saltwater Grille in Litchfield, will be hosting a free Fishermanâs Breakfast Buffet on Saturday, April 21. Hereâs the catch: to celebrate the first fishing day of the season, youâll need to stop by the restaurant between 4 and 8 am. No reservations are necessary, but you will need to show a current Connecticut Fishing License to participate in the all-you-can-eat event. The restaurant is at 26 Litchfield Commons (Route 202).

Newtown chef Patrick Wilson tells me that despite a pretty unpleasant drive to and from Boston this weekend in the storm, it was more than worthwhile in the end. Patrick was awarded his first gold medal in Hot Plated Dessert on April 15 in Boston during an American Culinary Federation Competition sponsored by the Epicurean Club of Boston. The 60-minute event required that four plates be presented to the judges, which included a Certified Master Baker. No pressure thereâ¦ and he is still preparing for the Master Chef exam and cooking up a storm of his own at Saint Andrewâs Golf Club in New York.

With Earth Day on the horizon April 22, people can pitch in to help the earth and C.H. Booth Library by recycling books. Donate used books to the library for the summer book sale to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Then complete the ecological cycle by planning to buy books that others have read. Save money, support the library, and help the environment. Itâs a winning situation all around. Book donations can be dropped off at the library, or call 426-4533 to have large lots picked up.

Â We cats are well-known for our independent attitudes, so why wouldnât I volunteer to help on Independent Living Day? Newtown Youth Services is still taking applications at 10 Glen Road or by calling 270-4335. Independent Living Day, held Saturday, April 28, provides senior citizens in Newtown with assistance for those cumbersome chores that seem to pile up in the spring. Seems like a good way to get ready to welcome the month of May.

Joanne Rochman will lead the discussion Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm, at the C.H. Booth Library as part of the NewtownREADS To Kill A Mockingbird event. Ms Rochman will integrate currents events such as the James Calvin Tillman case in Connecticut, in which a black man was recently exonerated of a rape after serving 18 years in prison, with the events of To Kill A Mockingbird. Sounds like a riveting evening, so Iâll be there.

This was a week that had us all heading for high ground. With more than five inches of rain falling in a matter of hours, roads, backyards, and especially basements were flooded in short order. It seems like Newtownâs volunteer fire companies were fielding requests for basement pump-outs every couple of minutes on Monday. You would think people living atop Mt Pleasant, like Dottie and John Evans, would be sitting pretty with most of the water running downhill to puddle in lower elevations. The Evanses reported, however, that apparently you can have water in your basement no matter what the elevation of your house is. They had 18 inches of water in the basement on Monday. Thatâs one soggy tale.

To tell the truth, I have to go dry out my own tail now, but Iâll be back next week, so be sure toâ¦

Read me again.

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

Lamont, Bysiewicz Invite Public To Connecticut’s Annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

Crash Closes Busy Road, Sends Three To The Hospital

Trinity Church Building & Driveway To Be Closed During Parade

I have to say, I don’t understand how this project could be considered “morally wrong.” That kind of language feels more like obstruction than constructive dialogue. What is morally wrong is leaving seniors in our community without enough housing options. Right now, Newtown does not have adequate senior housing, and the few developments that exist, like Naunawag Meadows, already have waiting lists. As for the comment that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” that simply isn’t accurate. The system is broken when residents who’ve lived here their whole lives cannot find an affordable and appropriate place to age in town. Responsible development that balances environmental concerns, safety improvements (such as traffic calming measures and sidewalks), and the needs of our seniors is exactly the kind of planning Newtown should be doing. This isn’t about wanting or not wanting something in one’s backyard—it’s about building a community that takes care of its people. Please don't get scared away by the nimby mob.

Planning & Zoning Continues Discussion Of 12 Cold Spring Road

It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

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So let's see… we already have our own town symbol, we've had a yearlong party to celebrate our tercentennial, we have a landmark flagpole, we have just about the only Labor Day Parade in the state, the biggest unofficial Halloween party in the

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